THE INFLUENCE OF ATTACHMENT STYLE AND SELF-REGULATION ON CHILDREN'S SOCIAL COMPETENCE

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between attachment style and social competence with self-regulation as a mediating variable. This study is based on secondary data from the National Institute of Child Development and Child Health Study of Early Childcare and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD). Recruitment began in 1991 and ended in 2007 with 1,009 families. For the purpose of the current study, 824 participants were selected because they had complete data for two measures, the Strange Situation at 36 months of age and Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS) at first grade, fourth grade and fifteen years of age. Findings of this study suggest that attachment style at 36 months of age is associated with social competence at first grade, fourth grade, and 15 years of age. Further analysis suggests there is a statistically significant difference in mean social skill scores for securely attached and insecurely attached children at each of the three time points. Examination of self-regulation (at first grade, fourth grade, and 15 years of age) as a mediator between attachments at 36 months and social competence (at first grade, fourth grade and 15 years of age) revealed that self-regulation was a significant mediator in explaining the relationship between attachments at 36 months and social competence at all three time points.